Faculty of Design, Media &

Management
Assignment Brief
Module Title:

Strategic Human Resource Management

Module Code:

Assignment No/Title:

CW1: Individual/paired research based

briefing paper

Submission Date:

Week 11: Friday 11th December 2015

Assessment
Weighting:
Feedback Target
Date:

Module Co-ordinator/
Tutor:

Dave Clarke

Course Area

MG622
30%
3 weeks Friday
18th January
BAM

Submission Instructions:

This assignment is to be submitted electronically using Blackboard

1. This assignment must be submitted electronically by 2pm on the submission date
2. To submit electronically you must upload your work to the e-submission area within the respective module
on blackboard. Click Submit> Browse (find the correct file to upload) Upload> Submit
3. Multiple drafts can be submitted up to the submission date.
4. Please remember you must leave at least 24 hours between submissions if you make changes to your
work. Each submission will overwrite the previous one until the due date and time has passed.
5. You will receive a digital receipt as proof of submission. This will be sent to your Bucks e-mail address;
please keep this for reference.
6. You are reminded of the Universitys regulations on cheating and plagiarism. In submitting your assignment
you are acknowledging that you have read and understood these regulations.
7. Late submission within 10 working days of the deadline will result in the mark being capped at a maximum
of 40%. Beyond this time the work will not be marked.
8. You are reminded that it is your responsibility to keep an electronic copy of your assignment for future
reference.

Instructions to Students:

This is an individual/paired research based assignment on a topical strategic HR initiative. A wordprocessed report should be prepared of between 2000 and 2500 words. No more than six sides of
A4 should be included as appendices.
This assignment tests the following Learning Outcomes for the module:

LO1 - Critically analyse the context, challenges and issues facing the management of people at work
LO3 - Critically review and analyse the application of strategic HRM models, theories and
approaches in practice
LO4 Critically evaluate the impact that a strategic approach to people management can have in
contemporary organisations.
The Assignment Task:

In the 2014/15 Winter edition of HR Outlook, the CIPD research showed some interesting points
relating to the design and structure of HR functions:

approximately 4 in 10 HR functions saw themselves as a single HR team with a mix of

expertise and that only 27% saw themselves as using The Ulrich Model.
17% of senior HR professionals thought that they should be prioritising business issues over
what matters to HR whereas 43% thought that they should be challenging inappropriate
behaviours and actions.
The most common area of focus for HR professionals was reported to be to work with the
organisation to drive change.
(CIPD (2015) HR Outlook Views of our Profession, London, CIPD)
Critically review the above statements in light of academic and professional literature in order to
discuss how common these themes are in the modern HR professionals work.
For an organisation with which you are familiar:
assess the role and priorities of the HR function
analyse the different internal and external influences which have brought these about.
discuss the changes you envisage for this organisation over the next three years and the
impact these will have for the structure of the HR function.

A paired assignment should also include some comparative analysis between two chosen
organisations and be accompanied by a diary/log of work undertaken within the pair.
Reflection
Reflection is an important aspect of the learning process. Please submit an individual reflection (one
each if a paired report) of no more than one side of A4 concerning this assignment, considering the
following issues:What are the strengths of this piece of work, what did you do well?
What are the weaknesses of this piece of work, what bits did you do not quite so well?
How could you improve this piece of work?
Notes for Guidance

A range of research needs to be used, incorporating both academic texts and

journal/newspaper articles. The internet can be used as a source but all web sites must be
fully listed in the bibliography (See the Reference guidelines in the Student Handbook).

It is important to give consideration to the implications of the HR role and value across all the
key areas of Strategic Human Resource Management.

The marks for the report will be allocated across a number of key areas:

Research skills

Knowledge and understanding

Analysis and application

Evaluation

Assignment parameters

These headings are explained on the attached assessment matrix, and should be read in
conjunction with the marking and feedback sheet provided.

The report format should comprise:-

A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
I.
J.

Front page with student ID, title and word count

An overall Summary (executive summary, not included in word count)
Contents Page
Introduction
Methodology how you went about the task (brief summary of secondary and primary
research undertaken)
Findings theoretical ideas and models relevant to the topic, benchmark examples, and the
situation in your chosen organisation. Remember to use the theory and benchmarks as tools
to analyse and evaluate your chosen organisation.
Conclusion drawing the key points together with reference to good practice and how it links
to HR activities. No new material to be introduced at this stage of the report.
Recommendations suggesting what could be developed in your own organisation, with an
Action Plan as an appendix highlighting resource implications (possible headings could be:
why this action?, timescales?, responsibilities?, resource benefits? etc)
Bibliography of all books, journals and websites consulted in the Harvard format
Appendices for any additional data you feel will add value to the overall report.

One should be a short summary of your organisations business and size

An Action Plan to expand on the Recommendations (located at Appendix 1)

A completed Assignment Reflection

NB
Appendices should be NO MORE than 6 pages
Include the word count on the title page target 2000 2500 words
(NOTE: the normal +/- 10% principle does not apply)

Assessment Criteria:
See attached grid.

Quality Assurance Record

Internal Approval:

External Approval:

Strategic Human Resource Management MG622 Assessment Criteria

%
10

70% +

60-69%

50-59%

40-49%

Fail

Evidence of wide
research using primary
and secondary
research and an
imaginative range of
sources

Evidence of good
research. Some
primary and secondary
research though more
limited in range

Evidence of solid
research though limited
to secondary research
but from a range of
prescribed texts and
sources

Some evidence of
research though
perhaps limited to
secondary research

Little evidence of any

research; little
reference to
appropriate secondary
literature

Knowledge
and
understanding

20

Demonstrates a limited
view and reference to
models and concepts is
weak. Limited use of
secondary research to
underpin discussion.

40

Demonstrates a
thorough
understanding of HR
models and key
concepts through
discussion using good
secondary research
Good analysis of the
models and concepts
with a good
comparison utilising
primary research. Good
explanation and some
evaluation.

Demonstrates some
understanding of HR
models with a range of
secondary research
utilised to support the
discussion

Analysis
and
application

Some analysis of the

models and concepts
with some comparison
utilising primary
research. Effort made
to explain though
tended to describe.

20

Assignment
parameters

10

Good evaluation of the

impact of different
models on
organisational practice.
Good evaluative
conclusions
Within word count.
Meets brief fully
Clearly written and
presented. Logical
structure and good
attempt to reference
material. Good use of
appendices to support
the report.

Some evaluation of the

impact of different
models on
organisational practice.
Conclusions drawn but
less convincing.
Sometimes writing style
and structure unclear.
Referencing sometimes
incomplete.
Appendices generally
used appropriately.

Presents partial
analysis of the models
and concepts with
minimal comparison
utilising primary data.
Limited attempt to
explain; largely
descriptive.
Limited evaluation of
the impact of different
models on
organisational practice.
Limited conclusions
drawn.
Poor structure and
presentation. Problems
with writing style.
Sources not fully
referenced. Over use of
appendices.

Superficial
understanding
demonstrated through
minimal secondary
research and lack of
integration of models
and concepts.
Limited or no analysis
of the models and
concepts with
superficial comparison
utilising incomplete
primary data. No effort
to explain or evaluate..

Evaluation

Excellent critical
discussion of key
concepts and
underpinning theory
supported through
extensive secondary
research findings
Excellent analysis of
the models and
concepts with an
extensive comparison
utilising primary
research. Excellent
explanation and
evaluation.
Excellent evaluation of
the impact of different
models on
organisational practice.
Reflective and detailed
evaluative conclusions
Brief met fully. Within
word count. Clearly
written and presented.
Professional style,
structure and
referencing. Excellent
use of appendices to
support the report.

Criteria
Research
Skills

Fails to address all

parts of the task key
issues not identified,
conclusions
inappropriate.
Brief not fully met. Far
too long or too short.
Unclear structure and
poor presentation.
Inappropriate
referencing and use of
appendices.